After years of continuing health issues, Ozzy Osbourne has revealed that his recent operation has hindered his mobility, leaving him unable to walk much.
Videos by American Songwriter
“It is so fucking tough because I want to be out there,” said Osbourne on SiriusXM’s Boneyard podcast. “I want to be doing it. This fucking surgery this guy did. Fucking hell, you have no idea.”
Osbourne, who recently turned 74, shared that his recent surgery was necessary to improve his quality of life and prevent him from becoming paralyzed. “That surgeon told me if I didn’t have the surgery, there would be a good chance I would be paralyzed from the neck down,” shared Osborne.
His recent spinal surgery in June 2022 was to correct a back injury and nerve damage that Osbourne suffered following a 2003 quad bike accident. In 2020, Osbourne also revealed that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and he also contracted COVID in early 2022.
In a rare appearance, Osbourne recently performed during the closing ceremony for the 2022 Commonwealth Games with Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi in his hometown of Birmingham, England, with the support of a back brace.
Recently moving back to England for a new BBC reality series, Home to Roost, which is set to premiere in 2023, Osbourne said he’s uncertain whether he can follow through on his scheduled 2023 tour in support of his 13th solo album, Patient Number 9, which features collaborations with Iommi, Jeff Beck, Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer, Chad Smith, and late Foo Fighters drummer, Taylor Hawkins, among others. The tour was previously postponed several times due to Osbourne’s health issues.
“The thing is my head is all right, my creativity is OK, my singing OK but I just can’t fucking walk much now,” said Osbourne. “I can’t begin to tell you how fucking frustrating life has become. It is amazing how you go along in life and one stupid thing can screw everything up for a long time. I have never been ill this long in my life.”
Photo: Scott Dudelson / Getty Images
